Digital Harbor Foundation Lanches the Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education

News Release | June 19, 2014 | 0 Comments

Digital Harbor Foundation Release:

Digital Harbor Foundation Fuels Maker Movement with Launch of the Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education at White House Maker Faire

Two Baltimore City Schools Creating Maker Programs To Enhance Technology Education

Baltimore, Md. (June 18, 2014)—The Digital Harbor Foundation is pleased to announce at the first ever White House Maker Faire the launch of the Digital Harbor Foundation Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education, a technical assistance and training arm founded to expand opportunities in digital-age technology education by building the capacity of other organizations to replicate Digital Harbor Foundation’s innovative maker programs. The goal of the Center is to align K-12 technology education with the needs of a 21st century workforce.

The Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education announces at this time the first two affiliate program partnerships. In the months leading to this announcement, relationships have been developed with Baltimore-based Green Street Academy and Barclay Elementary / Middle School, both of whom will be launching “maker” programs (including topics such as 3D printing, electronics, web design, engineering, and an array of other tech skills) during the 2014-2015 school year. The Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education will be providing program design, technical training, online curriculum, and site observations of programs for implementation by staff at each school respectively. At the Barclay School, the Center joins the Homewood Community Partner Initiative, a collaboration of community, civic, institutional and government stakeholders that is committed to a comprehensive neighborhood improvement strategy.

“Our goal is to scale the impact and reach of the innovative maker programs we have created here at the Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Center by providing educational organizations with capacity-building supports,” said Digital Harbor Foundation’s Executive Director Andrew Coy. “We are committed to expanding access to entrepreneurship, innovation and digital exploration inherent in making. We want youth in the United States to be competitive for jobs in the innovation economy of tomorrow, jobs that demand a high degree of creativity, determination, and passion.”

The Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education will build capacity in affiliate organizations through trainings, curriculum, best practices, and technical assistance, focusing on teaching organizations to empower youth of all ages to become makers and innovators through technology. These affiliate programs will then be better equipped to deliver high-quality maker education that develops the ability in youth to imagine, plan, communicate, and then create technology. Youth will consequently be better prepared with both “hard” and “soft” skills, including problem solving, electronic and in-person communication, design thinking, portfolio presentation, programming, soldering, circuitry, 3D printing and numerous other technical certifications.

Organizations interested in benefiting directly from the work of the Center are invited to inquire about partnerships and offerings by contacting Andrew Coy (andrew@digitalharbor.org), Executive Director at the Digital Harbor Foundation and President of the Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education.

The launch of the Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education is made possible through the generous support of the Maker Education Initiative, the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, the Abell Foundation, the France-Merrick Foundation as well as other grant-making organizations and individuals.